>> the cost of war. the united states reaches a somber milestone in the war in afghanistan. >> gearing up, president obama and mitt romney prepare for their first debate. a show down in denver this wednesday. and on the record, arnold schwarzenegger opens up on "60 minutes" about the affair that produced a son and ended his marriage. >> it was the stupidest thing i've done in the whole relationship. >> this is the "cbs morning news" for monday, october 1, 2012. good morning. good to be with you. i'm terrell brown. this morning in afghanistan the taliban is claiming responsibility for a suicide attack that killed at least 14 people, including three nato service members. a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle rammed into a patrol. americans have a large presence there. nato is trying to sort out a weekend attack in afghanistan

that left two americans dead. the casualties push the number of u.s. personnel killed in afghanistan to 2,000. the circumstances of saturday's violence remains unclear but a fire fight broke out at a checkpoint in eastern afghanistan. what nato hasn't determined so far was the gun battle a result of an insider attack or a deadly misunderstanding. drew levinson reports. >> reporter: this weekend marked the deadly milestone in afghanistan. 2,000 american soldiers killed since the war began nearly 11 years ago. it happened at a checkpoint in the eastern part of the country. one american soldier, an american contractor and three afghan soldiers were killed in a fire fight. >> the circumstances were somewhat confused but there was a report of insurgent firing taking place which we believe may have been a factor. >> reporter: nato did not say whether this was another in a series of insider attacks, where

afghan security forces turned on coalition troops. these so-called green on blue attacks have left at least 52 international forces dead this year. the u.s. commander in afghanistan told "60 minutes" he's angry some afghan troops have turned on the americans who trained them. >> i'm mad as hell about it to be honest with you. we'll get after this. it reverberates every where across the united states. we're willing to sacrifice a lot for this campaign but we're not willing to be murdered for it. >> at a certain point if these attacks continue american people are going to say we've had enough. why are we training these people if they are murdering us. >> that may be, in fact, it may be the voice right now that we're hearing. >> reporter: the attacks frustrate afghanistan's president. >> these attacks are sad. this is something identify discussed in detail, something that i bear responsibility for to correct.

>> reporter: top u.s. military officials say these incidents are a serious threat to the u.s. mission in afghanistan. drew levinson, cbs news. in syria the violence continues this morning. activists say syrian troops bombed a northern town at the border with turkey. nobody is claiming responsibility for a car bomb. it killed four people. the side bomber attacked a compound yesterday in a remote town controlled by the kurds. dozens of others were wounded. foreign affairs was the topic of an opinion piece mitt romney wrote for today's "wall street journal." he critiqued president obama's handling of the events in the middle east. romney said president has misapplied americans understanding. he wrote we must restore our economic strength, our military strength and the strength of our values. both candidate are prepping for their first debate against each other this wednesday in denver focusing on domestic issues. susan mcginnis is in washington with more.

susan, good morning to you. >> reporter: the president enters the final month before the elections within reach of the number of electoral votes needed to win but he continues to battle criticisms over how the white house handled last month's attack in benghazi, libya. more than 11,000 people packed a high school in las vegas sunday night to listen to president obama. >> stand with me and work with me, we'll win clark county again. we'll win nevada again. we'll win this election again. >> reporter: it was the president's last scheduled appearance before the first presidential debate on wednesday. like his opponent, he's trying to lower expectations. >> i know folks in the media are speculating already on who is going to have the best zinger. governor romney is a good debater. i'm just okay. >> reporter: mitt romney heads to colorado today for his last minute cram session. romney fit in another rehearsal

after church in boston on sunday. he's been practicing since june. while many believe wednesday's debate is a must-win for romney, his running mate paul ryan says this will not be a defining moment. >> i don't think one event will make-or-break this campaign. >> reporter: apparently not everyone got the memo to down play expectations. >> thursday morning you'll all be scratching your heads and say wow we have a barn burner now. >> reporter: the debate will center on domestic issues including the economy but right now romney is focused on foreign policy and has been slamming the president over his handling of the events in the middle east. in an op-ed in the "wall street journal" romney said the president showed weakness in the middle east. he said president obama heightened the prospect of conflict and instability. he doesn't understand an american policy that lacks resolve can provoke aggression and encourage disorder. white house aides says the president is looking forward to

debating foreign policy with mitt romney. >> this president promised two things in 2008. he ended the iraq war. he did. he will focus on bin laden and bring him to justice. >> reporter: romney is said to be planning a major foreign policy speech to be delivered in the next few weeks. foreign policy is the focus of the final presidential debate on october 22nd in florida. >> susan mcginnis in washington this morning. susan, thank you so much. come november colorado voters are expected to pass an amendment addressing the flood of political advertising. it began two years ago with the supreme court ruling with restrictions on campaign contributions, restrictions on freedom of speech. so far this year, $522 million in advertising has been seen in ten dee battleground states compared to $515 million for the entire 2008 election. >> romney paid 14% in taxes last year on 13 million in income.

>> obama wages war on coal. >> they blow everything out of proportion. >> reporter: in colorado alone, $47 million in five months have been spent by the romney and obama campaigns. and the groups that support them. come november people here can tell the rest of the nation how they feel about enduring all those tv ads. >> let me get your e-mail address. >> reporter: amendment 65 is on the ballot. if passed the state's congressional delegation would be required to propose an amendment to the u.s. constitution limiting campaign contributions and spending. this is the executive director of colorado common cause. >> the result is a democracy that distorts the voice of ordinary people in favor of those who can write multimillion dollar expects. >> reporter: billionaires would argue they have the same rights as to freedom speech as anybody else. >> freedom of speech problem texts to say what we want but it

doesn't give them the right to shout louder than the rest of us. >> reporter: the 2010 ruling said restrictions on contributions was restrictions on free speech. citizens united opposes the colorado initiative. a statement provided to cbs news warns what the colorado referendum does is chill free speech and gives incumbent politicians an inherent advantage. although colorado voters are expected to pass the referendum by a big margin, public opinion consultant provides a reality check. >> have no binding effect. it is simply what i call a postcard to congress. >> reporter: which means the ad barrage will continue as will the debate. this kind of unlimited spending free speech at its best or at its worse? the supreme court begins a new term today. the first monday in october.

court is expected to rule on cases concerning same sex marriage, affirmative action and voting rights. yesterday in washington six of the justices attended the so-called red mass celebrated the sunday before the court begins its new term. a tradition that dates back to 1963. coming up, arnold schwarzenegger opens up to "60 minutes" about the affair that ended his long time marriage to maria shriver. this is the morning news. time marriage to maria shriver. this is the morning news. a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can do more of the things that i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these,

new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. ask your doctor if lyrica is right try our new lunch-size grilled chicken fajitas, with sauteed onions and peppers, served with soup or salad. lunch break combos, starting at 6 bucks. enjoy them with friends, because a lunch together feeds the friendship. to say get well to your loved ones. ♪ this came for you, mommy. [ female announcer ] but it takes the touch of kleenex® brand, america's softest tissue, to turn a gesture into a complete gift of care.

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homes had no power. arnold schwarzenegger's new memoir hit the stores today. he spoekd about the scandal that ruined his marriage with sylvester stallone on "60 minutes" on sunday. he said he never talked to their housekeeper about their son. >> it appeared to me that there was something off, he started to look like me. that's when i kind of got it, that it was never discussed but i put things together here. >> did you ask here? her name is mildred. did you ask mildred? >> no, i didn't. but i felt that i should take on the responsibility of taking care of him and her. so i took care of them financially. >> all of a sudden she started getting money. no, you must have said, you know, i want to take care of him. how does money start showing up >> i gave it to her and she knew what it was. >> you can see more on

cbsnews.com. cbs money watch. tens of thousands protest in paris and the big guns come out for a gangster auction. ashley morrison has more. >> reporter: good morning. more anti-austerity protests taking place in europe over the weekend. in paris thousands took part in peaceful demonstrations. on friday the french government presented a budget that includes higher taxes on the wealthy but which critics say lack reforms that could kick start economic growth. uncertainty over spain's bailout sent overseas markets lower. nikkei dropped 1% while the hang seng was closed for a holiday. this week we'll get the september unemployment data. second to last monthly jobs report before the presidential election. on wall street stocks slipped,

the dow lost 142 points while the nasdaq slid 63 points. today investors will hear from federal reserve chairman ben bernanke. he'll discuss the fed's new stimulus program. aimed at buying morning backed securities. stocks fell after the fed official said the plan will not create jobs. today medicare starts changing the way it does business. the agency will begin fining hospitals that has too many patients return within 40 days because of complications. it could affect 2,200 facilities and the average fine would be about $125,000. and an auction featuring the most famous outlaws in history raked in more than a million dollars. bonnie and clyde went down in a hail of gunfire, bonnie parker had a .38 taped to her thigh. clyde had a .45 in his waist. yesterday the guns were

auctioned off to the same bidder for a total of $524,000. >> ashley morrison here in new york. up next your monday morning weather and in sports a bizarre pre-game collision knocks down redskin starters and knocks them out of the game against the bucs. pre-game collision knocks down redskin starters and knocks them out of the game against the bucs. ♪

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here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. new york partly sunny, 72 degrees. thunderstorms in miami, 90. clouds and sun in chicago, 69 degrees. partly sunny in dallas. very hot in los angeles, 101. let's check your national forecast. going to be a stormy monday in the south. some areas could see turns and up to three inches of rain. dry in the west. northern mid-atlantic and southern new england. showers and thunderstorms are possible from the great lakes to the southern plains. in sports this morning another classic show down between the giants and eagles turns into a thriller in philadelphia. fourth quarter giants eli manning's pass incomplete. on the drive there's three pass interference calls. 16 seconds on the clock, 55-yard

throw. eagles hold on to beat the giants 19-17. freak accident during a pre-game warm up. redskins collide with each other. both are out of the game against the bucs. robert griffith pushed the skins up by ten. the bucs will come back, a minute-and-a-half in the game. the third field goal is nailed. puts tampa bay up by one. not to be denied, griffin scrambles 15 yards down to the 26-yard line. skins come back against the bucs 24-22. in baseball just three games left in the season and detroit is one game closer to making the playoffs. all the offense the tigers needed. launches a homer. 2-1 tigers. clinches the american league central tomorrow over a win on kansas city. madness in medinah, illinois. at the ryder cup golf tournament. the americans were 10-4 and were supposed to win.

in the 17th with u.s. and europe tied, this is a putt for par. europe now gets a one point lead. on the 18th, europe stuns the u.s., 13-12 to kin the ryder cup again. an extreme skateboarder has a surprise, high-speed run in with some local wildlife. local wildlife.

i love my extrabucks rewards, and right now, they're doubling! so, when i shop -- i earn twice as much with double extrabucks rewards. that's two times the rewards! yeah, that's what double is. i know. i was agreeing with you. it's two times. act fast and sign up at cvs.com/doublebucks for double quarterly extrabucks rewards. don't miss getting double quarterly extrabucks rewards. i love 'em! continues this morning for o missing fishermen. what the coast guard says could have saved the men. plus: want that in a bag? 's going to cost you! the new n going into effect today fore bay area city. and debate countdown. the to candidates are cramming befe wednesday. what both men neo do as they prepare to go heo head. join us for cbs 5 eyewitness news this morning... beginng at 4:30.

,, here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. d.c. clouds and sun 74. storms in atlanta, 78. afternoon rain st. louis 68. 73 in denver and morning fog in seattle 71 degrees. good news for drivers in los angeles this morning. carmageddon two is over.

cars are back on one of the busiest freeways in the nation. work went around the clock. just like last year, fears of a massive traffic jam never happened. lindsay lohan is in trouble with the law again. she accused a 25-year-old man of throwing her down in a hotel room in new york city sunday. she alleged took his phone. she discovered pictures of herself on it. she was arrested on misdeamnor assault but dropped. he has filed harassment complaints against lohan. two weeks ago she was accused of hitting a pedestrian with her car. what is going on? we have to talk. in denver a skateboard race lived up to its name. downhill blood spill. these guys hit 60 miles per hour. a deer comes out of nowhere and slams into one of the skateboarders. he and the deer tumbled off the road. this is the only legal skateboarding road race in colorado. no word on the condition of the skateboarder. i'm terrell brown, this is the morning news. road. no word on the condition of the

skateboarder. i'm terrell brown, this is the morning news. we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year. bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger.

in macon, georgia, the school district is struggling with a tough reality. half of its 25,000 students failed to graduate. the superintendent is hoping to turn things around with an unusual language lesson. >> at sunny carter elementary school these students are learning mandarin, chinese. learning mandarin is now mandatory in macon, georgia public schools. >> what's the word for hello? >> reporter: mark fuller has mandarin class three days a week. taught by one of 25 chinese teachers sent to macon from china. their salaries partially subsidized by the chinese government. >> i love learning the words. >> reporter: within three years 25,000 kids in the schools k-12 will be taking mandarin.

this is one of georgia's lowest achieving where half the kids dropout. >> this is about opening their world. >> reporter: the new superintendent for bibb county schools wants big change. >> this is about preparing our students to compete in the 21st century, multiethnic global economy. >> reporter: he's haitian born and spoke only creole until the ninth grade. he made mandarin mandatory over the objection of many macon parents. >> nobody can convince me that this is the way, this is the language, this is the avenue that the schools need to take. >> reporter: sandy parker wants options for chandler, her second grader. her choice for him would be spanish not mandarin. >> is mandarin the priority in a school system where so many kids are struggling with english? >> yes. mandarin is one piece.

>> reporter: he said his school system will see more sweeping reform in a plan he calls the macon miracle. >> how many more students should we lose as a community before we do something fundamental to improve our students' performance? >> reporter: not everyone has an ear for the language of change. two unhappy parents pulled their kids out of mandarin lessons. coming up after your local news on cbs "this morning," more on the interview with a taliban commander in afghanistan. we'll get analysis from john miller. europe's big come back in the ryder cup. we'll hear from a cbs sports golf analyst. and jared neiman talks about his new album. that and more a little later on cbs "this morning". for now that will do it for the

morning news on a monday. i appreciate you watching as always. i'm terrell brown. take care, everybody. have a great day. i'm terrell brown. take care. have a great day.

10/1/12 you're watching cbs 5 eyewitness news this morning. >> good morning. monday is upon us. so is october. it's the 1st. >> time now is 4:30. we're going to check with laurance on the waeth ore. >> it's going to be hotter. today probably the peak of the